Johnny B. Goode
| format = *45 rpm record *78 rpm record | recorded = January 6, 1958 | studio = Chess, Chicago | venue = | genre = Rock and roll | length = | label = Chess | writer = Chuck Berry | producer = Little "Bongo" Kraus | prev_title = Sweet Little Sixteen | prev_year = 1958 | next_title = Beautiful Delilah | next_year = 1958 | misc = }} "Johnny B. Goode" is a 1958 rock-and-roll song written and first recorded by Chuck Berry. The song was a major hit among both black and white audiences, peaking at number two on Billboard magazine's Hot R&B Sides chart and number eight on its Hot 100 chart. "Johnny B. Goode" is considered one of the most recognizable songs in the history of popular music. Credited as "the first rock & roll hit about rock & roll stardom", it has been recorded by many other artists and has received several honors and accolades. The song is also ranked seventh on Rolling Stone s list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time". Composition and recording Written by Berry in 1955, the song is about an illiterate "country boy" from the New Orleans area, who plays a guitar "just like ringing a bell," and who might one day have his "name in lights." Berry acknowledged that the song is partly autobiographical and that the original lyrics referred to Johnny as a "colored boy", but he changed it to "country boy" to ensure radio play. As well as suggesting that the guitar player is good, the title hints at autobiographic elements, because Berry was born at 2520 Goode Avenue, in St. Louis. The song was initially inspired by Johnnie Johnson, the regular piano player in Berry's band, but developed into a song mainly about Berry himself. Johnson played on many other recordings by Berry, but Lafayette Leake played the piano on this song. The opening guitar riff of "Johnny B. Goode" is essentially a note-for-note copy of the opening single-note solo on Louis Jordan's "Ain't That Just Like a Woman" (1946), played by guitarist Carl Hogan.Miller, James (1999). Flowers in the Dustbin: The Rise of Rock and Roll, 1947–1977. Simon & Schuster. p. 104. . Neither the guitar intro nor the solo are played at once. Berry played the introductory parts together with the rhythm guitar and later overdubbed the solo runs. Berry wrote four more songs involving the character Johnny B. Goode, "Bye Bye Johnny", "Go Go Go", "Johnny B. Blues" and "Lady B. Goode"; and titled an album, and the nearly 19-minute instrumental title track from it, as "Concerto in B. Goode". Personnel * Chuck Berry – vocals, guitars * Lafayette Leake – piano * Willie Dixon – double bass * Fred Below – drums Charts Legacy contains "Johnny B. Goode" among various musical pieces from many cultures.]] In The Guardian, Joe Queenan wrote that "Johnny B. Goode" is "probably the first song ever written about how much money a musician could make by playing the guitar," and argued that "no song in the history of rock'n'roll more jubilantly celebrates the downmarket socioeconomic roots of the genre." In Billboard, Jason Upshutz stated that the song was "the first rock-star origin story", and that it featured "a swagger and showmanship that had not yet invaded radio." When Chuck Berry was inducted into the first Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on January 23, 1986, he performed "Johnny B. Goode" and "Rock and Roll Music", backed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.Barker, Derek (2009). Liner notes to Bruce Springsteen's Jukebox: The Songs that Inspired the Man CD. Chrome Dreams. The Hall of Fame included these songs and "Maybellene" in their list of the 500 songs that shaped Rock and Roll. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, for its influence as a rock and roll single. The use of Johnny B. Goode in the 1973 coming-of-age comedy-drama American Graffiti resurrected the song's popularity, as it was used in one of the main scenes of the film. Accolades Cover versions The song has been recorded by a wide variety of artists in different genres. Country musician Buck Owens's version of "Johnny B. Goode" topped Billboard magazine's Hot Country Sides chart in 1969. Jimi Hendrix had a posthumous hit with "Johnny B. Goode", which peaked at number 35 on the UK Singles Chart in 1972 and number 13 on the New Zealand Top 50 in 1986. Australian band Hush covered the song on their album, Aloud 'n' Live (1973). Leif Garrett released a version of the song on his 1977 album, Leif Garrett. Peter Tosh's version of the song peaked at number 84 on the Billboard Hot 100, number 48 on the UK Singles Chart, number 10 in the Netherlands, and number 29 in New Zealand in 1983. Judas Priest's version reached number 64 on the UK Singles Chart in 1988. The Beatles' version The Beatles recorded their version of the song on January 7, 1964 at the Playhouse Theatre in London for the BBC radio show Saturday Club. Chuck Berry was a favorite among the Beatles. They had previously and subsequently recorded versions of other songs by Berry, including "Roll Over Beethoven", released on the album With the Beatles in 1963, and "Rock and Roll Music", released on Beatles for Sale in 1964, and several others that subsequently were released on Live at the BBC. Personnel Adapted from The Beatles Bible *John Lennon vocals, rhythm guitar *Paul McCartney bass guitar *George Harrison lead guitar *Ringo Starr drums References Category:1958 songs Category:1958 singles Category:1962 singles Category:1969 singles Category:1972 singles Category:1979 singles Category:1983 singles Category:1988 singles Category:Songs written by Chuck Berry Category:Chuck Berry songs Category:The Beatles songs Category:Buck Owens songs Category:Jimi Hendrix songs Category:Leif Garrett songs Category:Judas Priest songs Category:Billboard Hot Country Songs number-one singles Category:Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients Category:Chess Records singles Category:Columbia Records singles Category:Recorded music characters Category:Songs about music Category:Songs about New Orleans